The Community Fund is made up of undesignated donor dollars. United Way fund distribution volunteers disperse these funds among 28 local agencies and 3 community affiliates that help our community where the needs are greatest.

By making an undesignated gift, you entrust your contribution to knowledgeable fund distribution volunteers who take that trust very seriously. After visiting agencies, reviewing funding requests and examining community needs, recommendations are made to the Board of Directors. Upon approval, dollars are distributed to agencies addressing the most pressing community needs. Agencies must meet strict standards of accountability in order to be considered for funding.

Your neighbors, co-workers, even your own family may have used United Way services. Emergency food, shelter and other programs for the needy are only the beginning.

Washtenaw United Way charges a 7 percent administrative fee for designations to other United Ways.

Everyone is eligible. Although no one is turned down for services because of inability to pay, some agencies charge fees on a sliding scale.

The Leadership Giving Association was formed to recognize and promote individual annual contributions of $1,000 or more. Currently, the Association has 1,230 members contributing more than one million dollars.

Washtenaw United Way’s current total administrative overhead cost is 11.3 percent of total revenues, well below the Better Business Bureau’s guideline of 35 percent for total administrative costs (including all fundraising).

Some individuals do prefer to give directly to a particular agency. In fact, the United Way has a designation policy that is responsive to such donor wishes. A gift to United Way’s Community Fund, however, helps support a variety of human service programs, and payroll deduction makes such giving easy. In addition, combined fundraising efforts, such as United Way’s Community Fund, allow agencies to spend more time on their primary purpose: helping people.

You may designate to any 501(c)(3) health or human service agency. An administrative fee of 7 percent will be applied to designations to agencies. Washtenaw United Way is happy to facilitate donor designations. If you choose to designate your pledge, please consider making an additional gift to Washtenaw United Way’s Community Fund; 28 health and human service organizations and 3 community affiliates, vital to the community, are counting on you.

Washtenaw United Way receives over $2.5 million in designated pledges annually.It is essential that donors have confidence that we are administering their contributions accountably. Designations are handled through a fiscal system entirely separate from our distribution of “community fund” dollars, including the use of a separate system of checks to help ensure a separate accounting of designations.

If the individual designating the gift checked off the appropriate box on the pledge form authorizing release of name, and provided the necessary mailing information, the designated agency should send an acknowledgement.

Despite our best efforts we do make mistakes.The donor, the company coordinator or payroll department, the United Way office or the agency designated may make an error anywhere along theline.Frankly, since the United Way cannot force an agency to acknowledge a gift, this is often the place where the system fails. Some agencies, especially smaller, often all-volunteer groups, do not have the capability to acknowledge designations.

If you learn of an individual who has not received his/her requested acknowledgement, please contact Washtenaw United Way at (734) 971-8200. We will investigate and resolve each situation to the donor’s satisfaction orrefund their contribution.

We’re getting better!

United Way continues to touch thousands of individuals through a “safety net” of services. As demands increase, the safety net stretches, so we’re looking at new and different ways to take the pressure off the safety net by getting to the root causes of our most pressing social needs. This is one way the United Way is helping your investment go further.

About the Community Fund

How Funding Decisions are Made

Beneficiaries of Your Gifts

Designating Your Gift Outside Washtenaw County

Eligibility for Services

Leadership Giving Association

Washtenaw United Way’s Administrative Overhead Cost

Why not give directly to an agency?

Designating Your Gift

Receiving Acknowledgement from Designated Agencies

Is Washtenaw United Way Changing?